The Tallest Tower!
by IAmAubrie
Summary: While working with Grandpa at the Sunset Arms Inn, Arnold learns that he is banished from the kingdom of Hillwood by order of King Scheck! While in exile, Arnold embarks on an incredible journey of self-discovery with the help of a new friend and an enchanting secret that will change the lives of two families forever! (Fantasy/Drama/Romance/Adventure!) Don't forget to REVIEW!
1. Once Upon a Time

**The Tallest Tower!**

**Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time**

**A/N: So, I've finally decided to start a new multi-chapter. I was going to begin a sequel for MURDER!, but I'm having a bit of writer's block for that specific genre. I decided to take on a new direction that, quite frankly, I've never done before. This story is going to take place in, I'd like to say the 14th or 15th century, but I'm no history buff. If I make a few period mistakes, blame my history teachers, ha! This is the first chapter and I'm going to publish it so everyone can start following from the start, but if I have to make any changes and republish this chapter, I'll mention it in my next A/N. I'm going to try to write this story a bit faster than MURDER!, but I can't make any promises. Anyway, enough jibber-jabber! Read what I've got and don't forget to REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!**

**xXx**

"_Arnold, my son," a faceless man gave a soft smile. A broad hand reached out and ruffled his hair. "We will miss you deeply."_

"_We'll be back soon," a feminine voice cooed. "We love you, Arnold."_

"_Arnold."_

"_Arnold."_

"Arnold!"

Arnold's eyelids were heavy. His dreams had departed him too soon.

"Wake up, Arnold! There's much to be done today!"

"Good morning, Grandpa."

"How are you, Arnold?"

Arnold lifted himself from his mattress.

"I dreamt of my parents."

"Oh?"

"I wish I knew what they looked like."

Arnold could sense sadness in Grandpa's eyes.

"We used to have a painting of them."

"A painting?" Arnold asked. "But only the rich can afford paintings."

"Erm, well, Arnold, your parents had money for a painting. I'm sad to say it was taken from the tax collectors after they left."

Arnold sighed, "I wish we still had it. It would be nice to dream of them and know how they looked at least."

Grandpa smiled before ruffling Arnold's hair.

"Well, they looked just like you, of course! Now let's get a move on. Grandma's made us some breakfast before we get on with our chores. We need to collect the fees today and replace some of the thatching on the roof. Ol' Oscar has been complaining about a leak somewhere for days."

Grandpa was the proud owner of The Sunset Inn. Many people came and went, but there were a few people who were like permanent residents. They paid a fee once a month to stay at the Inn. Arnold got to keep some of the fees for working beside Grandpa.

Arnold grabbed a little blue cap from beside his mattress and placed it carefully atop his head before following Grandpa into the dining room.

"Look what I made!"

"Pookie!" Grandpa's face scrunched up at the food on his plate. "What is that?"

"Breakfast! Eat up! You'll need your strength today!"

Arnold chuckled under his breath before devouring his breakfast with gratitude. _Not bad_.

xXx

The roof was successfully redone by the middle of the afternoon. With time to spare, Arnold and Grandpa began helping Grandma in the garden.

"Pookie, haven't you been weeding this garden at all?"

Grandma cackled before petting a daisy near the gate.

"The king is coming, my pretty!" she declared.

"Pookie," Grandpa pulled another weed, "leave that poor flower alone!"

Arnold smiled softly at his grandma before pulling a few more weeds. _Poor Grandma_. She wasn't always this way. It was only in the past few years that her memory had started to slip. She could still perform her daily duties, but there were times where she would become a bit confused. Arnold had been helping her more and more as the years passed.

"Hey look!" Oscar was pointing out from the second story window. "A castle guard!"

Grandpa looked up quickly at Oscar's words. Sure enough, a white horse was carrying a heavily armored guard with the king's coat of arms on his breast plate. The guard hopped off his horse and tied him to the gate before entering the garden.

"Grandpa? Why –"

Grandpa shushed him before he could continue. He went toward the guard. His face looked very young. There were a few pimples on his nose.

"Can I help you?" Grandpa asked.

"The king has a message for Arnold."

Arnold gasped. "Me?"

The guard turned toward Arnold, who was quickly straightening his tunic. He walked towards him, his armor clinking against itself, before bringing out a small scroll from his knap sack and pulled it open to read aloud.

"King Alphonse Perrier du von Scheck has decreed that Arnold from the Sunset Arms Inn be exiled from the kingdom of Hillwood from this day forth."

"What!" Grandpa exclaimed. "Exiled?!"

"Yes, exiled, banished – by order of the King!"

Arnold thought hurriedly. _How could this have happened? Was it for helping Oscar pay his fees at times? No, how could they know that?_

Grandpa snarled. "I won't let you take my grandson from me!"

"The lad has no choice! King Scheck has given the order!"

"Scheck doesn't know what he's doing."

The guard gave a hard look at Grandpa before slowly pulling out his sword.

"Tread lightly, old man, or I could have you hanged for treason."

Grandpa balled up his fists and took a step towards the guard. Arnold stepped in between them, stopping Grandpa from doing any harm.

"Everything will be ok, Grandpa. I'll leave. You can get Ernie to help you around the Inn."

"Arnold, I'll go with you."

Arnold sighed before looking towards the gate, where Grandma was feeding the guard's horse some radishes from the garden.

"No, Grandpa. You need to take care of Grandma. I'll give you my life savings so you can take her to an apothecary."

Grandpa watched as Arnold went inside, his eyes welling up with tears. Arnold came out with a small bundle of his belongings tied in a handkerchief. He ran to his grandmother and embraced her tightly.

Grandma seemed to know what was happening in that moment. Her smile faded quickly and she cried into Arnold's shoulder. Arnold kissed her cheek before turning to hug Grandpa.

"Alright, Arnold," the young guard said firmly before tugging him away. "Let's go."

"Goodbye," Arnold could barely speak out.

Grandpa gave a small, sad smile, "We will always love you, Arnold."

"And I love you."

Grandma suddenly became spirited, "Don't forget to look up, Arnold!"

"Look up?" Arnold questioned.

"Look up!"

xXx

The guard, on his horse, had led Arnold to the edge of the Kingdom where the forest began.

"Here's your stop," he said. "No funny business! I could have you and your family hanged for breaking the King's law."

"I understand," Arnold said sadly.

"The Kingdom of Hillwood ends at the forest. For safe measure, I'd stay away from the clearing if I were you. Many guards don't exactly see eye to eye on the border line."

Arnold nodded. The guard kicked his horse and galloped away. Arnold watched until the guard and his horse were but a speck on the horizon. He turned toward the forest and entered, carefully stepping over exposed tree roots and overgrowth.

It was becoming dark. As Arnold treaded deeper and deeper into the forest, he collected as many tree branches as he could carry. Just before the sun was about to set, he decided to settle down and make camp. He tossed a few branches into a pile and started a fire.

"I wonder why the King wanted me exiled," Arnold thought aloud. "I didn't even know he knew who I was. Then again, he probably has records of everyone in his kingdom."

Arnold sat against the trunk of a tree and watched the flames of the fire. They looked to be dancing. Arnold had been taught how to dance by his grandmother. She used to dance so elegantly. Not like how the children danced in the streets by the Inn. He already missed her. He thought about her and Grandpa as well as the people staying at the Sunset Arms Inn. As he began to close his eyes, he made a wish. He wished that when he woke up, he would be back with his grandparents.

**xXx**

**Oh boy! What's going to happen next? I sure hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Stay tuned for more chapters and as always, don't forget to leave a REVIEW! =]**


	2. An Unlikely Friend

**The Tallest Tower!**

**Chapter 2: An Unlikely Friend**

**A/N: Ah, hopefully I didn't keep you guys waiting too long! Here's another chapter for your delight! Don't forget to REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!**

**xXx**

Arnold slowly opened his eyes. There was dew on the ground before him. He got to his feet and stretched, breathing in the crisp morning air before adjusting the blue cap atop his head.

"I need a plan," he said to himself. "I'll find some breakfast first, and then I'll get to work making a hut."

Taking a better look at his surroundings now that it was light out, Arnold noticed how many berry bushes were around. He gratefully walked towards one of them, thinking about what Grandpa had told him about eating wild berries.

"_Remember, Arnold. Red and sweet are good to eat, but I swear on this sonnet that green will make you vomit."_

Arnold began picking only the red berries and gathered them in his tunic, eating a few as he went along. His grandfather taught him well enough about the wilderness. There were times when they would camp out in the woods for a few days. Grandpa knew a lot about the woods and how to survive. Arnold was glad for his grandfather's lessons.

While collecting the berries, Arnold heard a soft growl.

"Huh. I must be hungrier than I thought," Arnold said as he ate another berry.

Just then, he felt something nuzzling the top of his head. When he looked up, a large black bear growled loudly into his face. Bear saliva splattered on his nose.

"AHHHH!" Arnold dropped all of his berries and started to run in the opposite direction.

The bear followed Arnold through the forest.

"I should have made some weapons first thing! Why oh WHY didn't I make some weapons?! OOF!"

Arnold tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground. He looked up and saw the bear approaching him. He scrambled onto his back so he could face the bear. His heart was pounding through his chest as the bear was on top of him. He snarled and opened his mouth wide. Arnold closed his eyes in fear.

The bear roared loudly and was thrown to his hind legs. Arnold opened his eyes.

"Wha – ?"

The bear started to howl in pain before he was thrown yet again. Arnold saw an arrow in his left eye and shoulder. The bear stumbled back as a third arrow went into his side.

Arnold looked around the woods, but saw no one. The bear fell to the ground and was whimpering, his movements slowing down. Suddenly he saw someone jump onto the bear's back. He had a loaded bow in his hands and aimed it straight into the bear's head. When he let go of the arrow, the bear went completely silent.

Looking closely, Arnold's hero had deep brown skin with a column of black, curly hair. His tunic was dirty and torn. He jumped off and kicked the bear. When it didn't move, he began pulling out his arrows.

"Thank you for saving me," Arnold said, suddenly catching his breath.

The mysterious person eyed Arnold for a moment, looking him up and down before pulling out a small knife from his boot.

"I said thank you for saving me," Arnold said again.

"I didn't save you," the stranger said point-blank.

Arnold was taken aback.

"But – but I was in trouble and – ," Arnold watched him skin the monster, "and you killed that bear!"

The stranger looked at Arnold again as he began tossing his knife in the air casually. It did a few flips in the air before he caught it by the handle.

"This pelt will do me some good this winter. You were just a good distraction."

Arnold sat and pondered his intentions. The stranger was swift with his knife. His dark skin glistened like the dew on the leaves as he concentrated on the bear. He cut several large pieces of meat and placed them in his knap sack.

"Well, regardless, I give my thanks."

"I don't need thanks from a citizen of the kingdom of Hillwood."

"What? How did you know I was from Hillwood?"

The stranger rolled his eyes. "You're not much of a rogue. You don't even have a weapon on you."

"I didn't have time to make any weapons," Arnold said. "I was only banished from the kingdom last night."

The stranger stopped what he was doing and looked at Arnold.

"Banished?"

"Exiled! By order of King Scheck."

"What did you do?"

Arnold pondered for a bit.

"Honestly, I have no idea."

The stranger dug his knife into a piece of meat before approaching Arnold. Arnold scrambled to his feet and backed up a bit, intimidated. He wasn't much taller than Arnold. His hair just made him seem that way. The stranger put up his hand for Arnold to take.

"The name's Gerald."

Arnold slowly shook it. "Arnold. N-nice to meet you."

Gerald grunted before turning back to finish scraping off bits of bear.

xXx

"Are you a rogue?"

Gerald kept moving without so much as a sideways glance as Arnold.

"Yes."

"How long have you been independent?"

Gerald sighed in exasperation, cutting through a few twigs with his knife before answering.

"Many years."

"Why?"

"Must you ask so many questions?"

"I'm sorry," Arnold said. "It's just that I usually have a lot of company to talk to, but now – "

Gerald pinched the bridge of his nose.

"King Scheck doesn't like my kind."

"What do you mean?"

"Arnold, look at my skin. It isn't pale like yours."

Arnold felt embarrassed for having asked. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen any other people like Gerald in the Kingdom.

"Are there other people like you?"

Gerald nodded, "I have my entire family."

"Where are they?"

Gerald looked at Arnold suspiciously. There was a look of utter curiosity behind his bright green eyes.

"I left them for the time being – to seek revenge on King Scheck."

"Revenge?"

Gerald nodded.

"Don't you think revenge is a bit, well, much?" Arnold asked.

"After what he has done to my family, I don't think so."

Arnold thought about his own family. He wondered how Grandma and Grandpa were getting along without him.

"My grandparents are still in Hillwood, but I wouldn't dream of seeking revenge."

"It's still your first day from the kingdom."

"How will you seek revenge on King Scheck?"

Gerald stopped in his tracks. His eyes went wide.

"Huh," he said. "I guess I haven't even thought about that yet."

Arnold chuckled slightly.

"Well, winter is soon approaching."

Even though Gerald was dark, Arnold could see a slight reddening of his face. He was embarrassed that he didn't even think this through.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come," Gerald said suddenly. "I don't even know how to build a hut. How will I survive the winter?"

"I know how to build one," Arnold began. "My grandfather owns an inn that I've helped maintain throughout most of my life. I think I can build a decent hut with my knowledge. I can help you if you'd like."

Gerald looked into Arnold's bright green eyes. He didn't see a reason why he shouldn't trust him. And he seemed to like Gerald enough to stick around. Gerald gave a small smile.

"You're a bold kid, Arnold."

Arnold smiled broadly at his comment.

**xXx**

**Aw, poor Gerald! I realize he is a bit OOC (Out of Character), but then again, this story is set in a completely different era with completely different circumstances. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for more to come! Don't forget to REVIEW!**


	3. Madame Blanche

**The Tallest Tower!**

**Chapter 3: Madame Blanche**

**A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who have left reviews and comments so far. You've all been very encouraging! Also, I have forgotten to mention that Arnold and Gerald are not nine-year-olds. They are about 16. Anyway, I hope this will be another interesting chapter for you all! It features Madame Blanche from the series. I kind of took advantage of the fact that we know so little about her in the series, so she may be a little OOC, but for good reason. Enjoy reading this chapter and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! They are always greatly appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!**

**xXx**

Grandpa wrapped his cloak tightly around himself as he braced his body against the cold, winter wind. His feet crunched the snow beneath him. It was the second week of the new year. Grandpa hadn't gone a day without thinking about Arnold and what had happened to him. _Sure_, he thought, _we had gone camping a few times, but never during the winter season_. A warm tear rolled down his cheek before coming upon Madame Blanche's Apothecary Shoppe. He opened the door and let the warmth from the hearth inside seep into his skin before removing his hood.

Madame Blanche was not at her counter, but he heard voices near the back of her Shoppe. Grandpa didn't like to eavesdrop, but after hearing a loud, booming thud with a deep, angry voice, he tiptoed closer to the back of her Shoppe to investigate. There was a curtain blocking his view of Madame Blanche, but a broad, dark figure could be seen. He had a green cloak with a hood that was blocking his face.

"I keep reminding you that patience is a virtue," he heard Madame Blanche say blankly. "You must wait until the end of March."

"You keep deceiving me!" the broad figure boomed.

"I have never deceived you. You only listen to what you want to hear. Your pride has made you impatient."

The figure growled at Madame Blanche.

"Wait until the end of March. That is when change will come. Now, be off with you. I have another customer."

The broad figure seemed to jerk in surprise. Grandpa backed away from the curtains as the large man began making his exit, nearly ripping off the curtains as he did so. He gave a hard look at Grandpa, his broad eyebrow furrowed. His sneer was an angry one. He then took his wide arm and pushed Grandpa to the side with force before using the door and slamming it shut. Grandpa could hear the bottles behind the counter tremble at the impact.

"Ah, Phil, how pleasant it is to see you again!" Madame Blanche's voice gained a chirpy disposition as she made her way to the hearth and began poking at the fire. "You'll have to excuse my first customer. Quite a high-strung fellow, he is."

"Yes," Grandpa said suspiciously. "He seems to be quite the brute, more like."

"How is Gertie doing, Phil?" Madame Blanche swiftly changed the subject.

Grandpa sighed, "Not good, I'm afraid."

Madame Blanche moved behind her counter and began looking through her vials and bottles.

"Ever since Arnold left, she's been getting worse. Especially so since the new year has begun."

"Mhmm," Madame Blanche took a few vials from the shelf. "Go on."

"It appears that she has made up some sort of imaginary friend."

"Imaginary friend? You don't say."

"She's named her Eleanor."

Madame Blanche turned to Grandpa and smiled before handing him the vials. "I'd say she's doing just fine. Now remember, Phil, she only needs one drop from each of these per day."

Grandpa looked at the small vials in his hand before turning to Madame Blanche questioningly.

"Do these medicines really work?"

A small chuckle escaped her lips before she retorted, "How has she been getting along with her daily chores around the Sunset Arms Inn?"

Grandpa was taken aback by the question. Now that he thought about it, she was executing her chores with ease and barely stopped in confusion anymore.

"Let her have 'Eleanor' for a while longer. Arnold has not been gone for too long. She just needs time to adjust."

"I guess I'm just having a difficult time with this whole situation," he said before hanging his head. "I never knew Gertie would turn out like this. I don't know how to handle it, I suppose."

Madame Blanche smiled warmly at Grandpa before lifting his chin gently so he could look at her.

"The best thing you can do is listen to your wife. She is telling you things that you may not understand right now, but that doesn't mean you won't understand them forever. Things will make sense to you in due time."

Grandpa smiled before bringing out a pouch. It jingled as he set it on the counter.

"Here you go. Ten pieces, like usual."

Madame Blanche looked at the pouch for a second before turning back to Grandpa. She visually hesitated to take the pouch.

"That won't be necessary this time."

"What? But I need to pay you for these medicines!"

Madame Blanche chuckled again before pushing the pouch towards Grandpa.

"Phil, a lot will happen this year. These next few months will be the hardest for you. After all the things you've been through and after all the things you _will_ go through, consider this a gift to put your mind at ease for now."

Grandpa scratched his head in confusion before picking up his pouch and tying it to his tunic belt beneath his cloak.

"Have a safe trip home, Phil."

"Thank you, Madame Blanche. For everything."

Madame Blanche smiled as she watched Grandpa leave her Shoppe. She sighed once the door was closed. _Great family_, she thought. She stood behind her counter for a while before making her way to the back of her Shoppe.

"March couldn't come soon enough," She said to herself before picking out a mortar and pestle from one of the shelves. She placed it on a table and grabbed some bottles from the shelf that were full of dried up flowers and herbs.

She began grinding a few leaves and petals in her mortar, only stopping once the ingredients had turned into a fine powder. Madame Blanche then grabbed a small bowl and poured the powder into it. She found a few vials from the shelves. She was careful with each drop of liquid poured into the small bowl, stirring slowly with a long, thin stirring rod from the shelf.

"And now," she said, "the main ingredient."

Madame Blanche pulled on a cord around her neck, lifting a tiny vial from the bosom of her corset. She pulled out the tiny cork from the mouth of the vial and tilted it ever so slightly. Madame Blanche chanted quickly and quietly before any changes could be made to her potion.

She let a drop fall into the bowl. There was a spark and a cloud of pink emerged, then dissipated. The mixture in the bowl was bubbling. Madame Blanche tied her tiny vial around her neck and hid it in her corset before turning to her shelf to find an empty vial. She poured the concoction into the vial and sealed it neatly with a cork. The liquid was a thick and deep pink inside the vial, the bubbles still forming.

"That ought to do it," she said. She took a stool from the corner of the room and stood on it, reaching for the highest shelf and grabbed a little wooden box. She hid the vial carefully in the box before replacing it on the shelf.

She cleaned up her area with ease. When she was done, she stopped for a moment and nodded to herself. She made her way to the counter at the front of her Shoppe and looked at the door expectantly. Finally, it opened.

"Good afternoon!" she said in a cheerful manner. "Welcome to Madame Blanche's Apothecary Shoppe!"

**xXx**

**Oh my! What is going to happen now? I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I love getting receiving feedback, so tell me your thoughts and more in a REVIEW and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	4. It's A Steal

**The Tallest Tower!**

**Chapter 4: It's a Steal**

**A/N: Here's another chapter! I hope everyone is enjoying this story so far. You can check the update status of any of my stories on my PROFILE page if you'd like, I just wanted to throw that out there for those of you who are curious about anything else I have written. Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone for your encouraging reviews! I'm always excited to write more for you guys! I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and, for those of you who haven't yet, don't forget to REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!**

**xXx**

It was early. Very early. Arnold and Gerald woke themselves before the sun and were heading towards Hillwood on the first day of spring. Gerald had finally figured out what he wanted to do in order to get back at the King.

"_I'm going to take his crown for myself!_" he had said. "_Swipe it right from the top of his head!_"

No matter how many times Arnold tried telling him it wasn't a good idea, it was of no use. Gerald had his mind set on his goal. Instead of staying behind, Arnold decided to go with Gerald. They had become good friends in the previous months. Arnold didn't want anything bad to happen to Gerald.

_If Gerald's plan works and we don't get caught,_ Arnold thought, _then maybe I will be able to finally see my grandparents once more after all of this._

Arnold hid behind a tree once they reached the edge of the forest. Gerald followed suit before checking the clearing to see if the coast was clear. The clearing was a bit foggy, but Gerald could still make out the outline of the closest buildings. He turned to Arnold.

"Let's make a run for it," he said. Even in the dark, Arnold could see a subtle gleam in Gerald's eyes.

They ran from building to building on their way to the castle. Arnold had never been this close to the castle before. It was intimidating to see up close. He looked at the glistening walls and towers keeping the castle together. Once they reached the wall, Gerald looked around. There were no other doors leading into the castle besides the main gate, which could only be opened from the inside.

"Give me a boost, Arnold!"

Arnold quickly lifted Gerald up as far as he could and Gerald climbed the large rock of the castle wall the rest of the way. Arnold grabbed onto the rock and began climbing as well. He lifted his leg over the castle wall.

"We need to get to that big tower there," Gerald pointed to the widest tower in the center of the castle. "I'll bet that's where the king sleeps."

Arnold gave a short gasp. A knot was suddenly tied up in his stomach.

"Gerald," he said. "We can still go back, you know."

Gerald looked at Arnold, a smile forming on his face.

"We've already come this far!"

"But the sun's about to come up."

The sky was becoming lighter. They only had about another hour before the sun would be in the sky.

"Well then, let's hurry up and get this over with!" Gerald said as he stood up on the wall and quickly tiptoed his way toward the first tower.

For a moment, Arnold thought Gerald looked like one of his grandmother's many cats. Poised and graceful, carefully balanced and gliding along the castle wall. Arnold adjusted his little blue cap and stood up carefully, making sure not to look down as he followed Gerald.

xXx

It was getting dangerously close to daylight by the time Arnold and Gerald found a way inside the castle. They had only come across one castle guard who was making his rounds through the hallways, but luckily didn't see them in the dark passage. Gerald was about to turn another corner. He popped his head around to make sure the coast was clear before nudging Arnold and pointing to another guard, sleeping in his chair.

"I'll bet that's King Scheck's chamber," Gerald whispered, noticing the door behind the guard. "That guard is asleep! This is too easy!"

Arnold gulped down a lump in his throat.

"What if he wakes up?" Arnold whispered, but Gerald was already on his way to the door.

Gerald opened the door with ease before motioning for Arnold to come join him. He tiptoed past the guard carefully, noticing that the guard was much older than other guards he had seen. His beard was gray and a few age spots freckled his face.

Arnold finally caught up with Gerald and shut the door behind them. When he stepped forward, he accidentally ran into the backside of Gerald, who was as stiff as a board.

"Gerald, wha – ?"

"Would you look at this, Arnold!" Gerald gasped. "This isn't King Scheck's chamber at all!"

Arnold looked around and was astounded by the sight of gold. Mountains of it.

"This is a treasure chamber!" Gerald whispered excitedly. "Look! It's the crown! We did it!"

Sure enough, there was a crown in the center of the room sitting delicately on a pillow atop an ivory pedestal. Arnold and Gerald went closer for a better look. The gold on the crown was simply designed, but what made the crown look special were the emerald gems inlayed within the gold.

"It's beautiful," Arnold said just before Gerald casually swiped it from the pillow. "Hey! Be careful with that thing! It's delicate!"

"Calm down, Arnold! This is King Scheck's crown we're talking about! The same man who had us _delicately_ thrown out of the Kingdom of Hillwood. Not a very nice thing to do, don't you think?"

Arnold sighed before looking around the chamber once more. The windows were illuminating the gold surrounding them.

"Gerald?"

"Not now, man, I'm checking out this crown!"

"Gerald – ."

Gerald placed the crown in his knapsack before checking out the remaining treasure. "Maybe I should grab more of this stuff."

"Gerald!"

"WHAT?!"

"We need to go! It's already getting light out! There are going to be a lot more guards outside if we don't hurry out of here!"

"B-but the treasure!"

"There's no time!"

Gerald rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right! But let's hurry up before I change my mind!"

Arnold and Gerald crept outside the chamber door as carefully and quietly as they could. The old guard was still asleep in his chair.

"Come on!" Gerald whispered as they made their way to the long hallway.

Just before they reached the corner, the passing guard that they had seen earlier was walking past.

"HEY!" he turned on his heel towards the two thieves and reached for his sword.

"Argh!" The older guard stirred and awoke. Once he realized what was happening, he quickly got out of his chair and ran to the scene.

The younger guard drew his sword and swung it at Arnold and Gerald.

"Duck!" Gerald yelled to Arnold.

"Grab them, Earl!" the young guard said.

The guard named Earl had finally caught up with the action and grabbed a hold of Arnold.

"Let go!" Arnold was face to face with Earl and was surprised that Earl did as he was told.

Suddenly, Arnold fell to the ground.

"Run!" Gerald helped Arnold up. They made a run for it.

"Why'd you let him go, Earl?!"

Earl watched as the two were getting away and scratched his head.

"Argh, there be something awfully familiar about that boy. Looks to be about my niece's age. She be in the convent, you know."

The young guard shook his head in anger before starting to run in Arnold and Gerald's direction.

xXx

Arnold and Gerald had finally made it outside the castle walls.

"Do you think we lost them?" Arnold was gasping for air.

Gerald panted for some time before answering. "I think so."

Arnold's ears perked up.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

Gerald listened, too.

"Uh oh."

"There they are, men! After them!"

There was a troupe of castle guards on horses running straight for Arnold and Gerald.

"RUN!"

Arnold and Gerald took off as fast as they possibly could, but it wasn't fast enough. One of the guards caught up with Gerald and took a hold of him.

"Arnold!"

Gerald fought the guard before grabbing his knapsack. "Go long, Arnold!"

The knapsack was thrown and Arnold caught it before running in the direction from where they came, towards the forest. Another guard on a horse cut him off before he could get too far. Arnold had no choice but to run in the opposite direction.

Gerald loosened himself from the guard and ran in another direction. He didn't know where to go, so he decided to hide somewhere. He took a sharp turn to throw off the guards and found a pair of large doors. To his surprise, they were not locked. He quickly slipped through the door, peeking through the crack to see if the guards were fooled.

"Aren't you a bit early for mass?" a soft, small voice was heard from behind him.

Gerald turned to find a young nun with the most beautiful face he had ever seen. She was walking towards him. She held a candle in front of her and held it up to get a better look at Gerald. She stopped short in her tracks.

"I – I don't think I've ever seen you before," her small, slanted eyes twitched slightly.

There was a lump in Gerald's throat. He gulped.

"I'm not from here," he said carefully.

The young nun cautiously came closer.

"You're breathing heavily. Did you run all the way here?"

Gerald nodded.

"Why?"

A sigh escaped Gerald's lips.

"It's a long story."

A small smile formed on her lips.

"There is plenty of time to hear it," she said and took a hold of Gerald's hand, leading him deeper into the cathedral. "Let's get you cleaned up and you can tell me all about it."

"You don't understand," Gerald said. "I'm not like you!"

The young girl blinked at Gerald.

"That is an obvious statement, but God created all of us, didn't he? What is your name?"

"Uh, m-my name is Gerald."

"Gerald," she said with a smile. "My name is Phoebe."

**xXx**

**If anyone was wondering, yes, that was Sheena's uncle Earl that was supposed to be guarding the treasure chamber! I hope you enjoyed this read. There's much more to come, I assure you. Don't forget to leave a REVIEW and stay tuned for more!**


	5. What's in the Middle of the Forest

**The Tallest Tower!**

**Chapter 5: What's in the Middle of the Forest Stays There**

**A/N: I hope everyone had a nice holiday! It's time for another update and I know it's one many of you have been waiting for! Go ahead and have a read and don't forget to REVIEW as all reviews are greatly appreciated! =D Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!**

**xXx**

Arnold made it to a woodsy area on the opposite side of the Kingdom of Hillwood. He wasn't used to his surroundings at all and he was sure that the guards were still behind him. He fled deeper and deeper into the woods.

"This is ridiculous!" Arnold thought to himself. "I'll be running for the rest of my life!"

That's when an idea struck him. The guards were chasing Arnold on the ground, but they wouldn't think to look up in the trees.

"That's it!"

Arnold looked around for a tall tree that would be easy enough to climb and came across a young redwood. He jumped high enough to reach the lowest branch and began to lift himself. He was already halfway up the tree by the time the castle guards ran past on their horses, but he was high enough now not to be noticed. He climbed a little higher, to a thick branch, and stopped to catch his breath.

Suddenly, Arnold remembered the knapsack around his shoulder and opened it, revealing the golden crown. When he first laid eyes on it in the treasure chamber, it had looked so beautiful. Now that he held it in his hands, he didn't know what to think of it. It was so peculiar in Arnold's mind. It wasn't as fancy as he thought it would be. It looked old. He had never once held gold, but it was such a simple crown with only the emeralds to embellish it. And how peculiar they were, too. Arnold began to think of Gerald.

"This was the only thing he wanted from King Scheck and now he doesn't even have it," Arnold put the crown away. "I hope Gerald is doing ok, much better than I'm doing anyway."

Exhaustion suddenly overcame Arnold. He was so worried about the events of this day that he didn't sleep much the night before. Arnold stretched his arms and yawned before resting his back against the trunk of the tree and shutting his eyes.

xXx

"_Don't forget to look up, Arnold! Look up!"_

Arnold stirred, trying to keep hold of the fainting image of his grandmother in his dream, but she faded quickly. Arnold slowly opened his eyes. His stomach started to make itself known as it growled hungrily.

"Ugh," Arnold moaned. "I need food."

He looked around him. He was still in the redwood. He searched the forest below him, but found no sign of any castle guards. Arnold was about to get ready to climb down when he heard a neighing in the distance. _The guard's horses_. The sound was quickly approaching.

"King Scheck won't be happy to hear about this," a young guard said to another.

"He's not going to find out about it."

"He's not?"

"No! King Scheck doesn't use that crown! He won't even know it's missing until we find those thieves!"

"How much time is that going to take?"

"As much time as we need. Gather the troops. I'm going to be late for lunch!"

"Yes sir!"

Arnold watched as the guards went back in the direction of the Kingdom.

_So much for Gerald's revenge if the king isn't even going to notice the crown is gone_, Arnold thought.

Arnold took the knapsack from his shoulder and was about to throw it to the ground before another sound reached his ears. He kept absolutely still to hear it.

"Is that someone – singing in the distance?" he thought aloud. "What a beautiful sound!"

After putting the knapsack back, he looked in every direction he could from where he was, but he found nothing.

"I need to get higher!" Arnold announced before reaching for the next branch up.

Arnold climbed until he was above the surrounding trees. He looked towards the Kingdom, but all he could see was the very tips of the castle towers. The singing wasn't coming from that direction anyway. He looked to the other side of him. He was very close to the mountains. Near the mountains was a small pillar of smoke. Arnold's curiosity soared.

"Whoever is singing must be near those mountains!"

Climbing down as fast as he could, Arnold finally reached the forest floor and headed in the direction of the mountains. He found himself running before long. He finally reached the mountains, but couldn't find any sign that a person had been there. The singing had been ceased for a while now, but Arnold was still determined to find the owner to the beautiful voice that he heard. He tried circling the mountain, but it was much too wide.

"It's no use," he said. "Whoever that was, I'll never find her."

Arnold sighed as he stopped to lean against the rocky base of the mountain. Suddenly, he fell backwards.

"OOF!"

Gaining his composure, Arnold looked behind him from the ground. The rock he had leaned against had tipped over, revealing a tunnel, lit from the other side. Arnold looked around to make sure no one had seen him before entering the tunnel, replacing the fallen rock as he did so.

Arnold's nerves grabbed a hold of him as he slowly walked through the tunnel, unsure of what was beyond it. The light at the end of the tunnel was actually an exit. Arnold always wanted to know what was beyond the mountains. He suddenly began to remember the stories that Grandpa used to tell him as a child about his parents fighting dragons and ogres in their many travels. Even Arnold knew that there were no such things as such creatures, but back when he was younger, they seemed as real as rain.

Looking around, Arnold saw that he was in a very large valley. Moss covered nearly every rock and the grass was of a green Arnold had never seen before. But the most peculiar thing about the lush surroundings was the single blue tower in the center of it. It was taller than even King Scheck's castle.

"What is that?" Arnold cautiously closed the gap between him and the tower.

Suddenly, Grandma's voice came into his head.

"_Look up, Arnold! Look up!"_

Arnold lifted his head and was surprised to see a simple door near the top of the tower.

"Huh, how does someone get up there?" Arnold suddenly remembered how he and Gerald had climbed the castle walls. The stones were thick enough to climb easily. He went right up to the tower and realized it had similar stones. Arnold began to climb and in excellent time, finally got to the door.

It wasn't locked, so Arnold slowly made his way inside. The space was small, but the walls, he noticed, were beautifully decorated with words from the ceiling to the floor. He went towards one of the walls so he could read some of the beautiful script. Within seconds, he realized the walls were covered in poetry.

Arnold felt a sudden blow to his head.

"Hey!" he yelled in defense before realizing that what had been thrown at him was an apple.

He heard another object whiz past his ear before getting hit in the stomach with another piece of fruit.

"OOF!"

"WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DID YOU FIND ME?!"

Arnold was hit with another fruit before looking up at a girl with pale blonde hair that was so long that it looked as though it was a veil that drug across the floor with every step she took. It was obvious it hadn't been cut in a very long time. She looked so frail that he was surprised that she delivered such force with her apples. Her deep blue eyes were burning fiercely against her milky white skin. She was wearing a dress the color of his grandma's spring tulips and atop her head was a ribbon of the same color, tied into a neat bow. Even though this mysterious girl looked threatening, Arnold all at once felt enamored by her.

"I SAID WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DID YOU FIND ME?!"

Arnold dodged another fruit she threw at him before his words finally caught up to him.

"I-I like your bow!" he choked out, surprised at his own words.

"Huh?" the girl stared at him blankly.

"I like your bow because it's pink – like your dress!"

The girl's face softened. For a moment, Arnold noticed that her eyes seemed to glisten. He barely saw the corner of her mouth curl up slightly, but she shook her head and scowled once more and drew her left arm back with another apple in hand.

"L-look, I'm sorry to have disturbed you in any way, I didn't mean to frighten you! I didn't even know that anyone lived up here in this tower!"

"Who are you?"

"Arnold! My name is Arnold! I mean you no harm! Please, if I may ask – what is your name?"

"It's Helga," she said with force.

"Helga," Arnold repeated softly. "That's a nice name."

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Arnold sighed, "To tell you the truth, a friend and I are in trouble with the Kingdom of Hillwood. I was chased into the forest and have no idea what happened to my friend. While I was hiding from the castle guards, I heard someone singing. I guess that's what led me to you."

Helga slowly withdrew her arm and placed the apple in a wooden bowl she had tucked into her right arm.

"What did you do that got you in trouble?" She asked.

"We, uh, well we broke into the castle and stole King Scheck's crown."

Suddenly, Helga did something unexpected. She began to laugh. Arnold didn't know how to respond to it. Her laugh was adorable.

"That old chucklehead had it coming to him!"

"What?"

"He must be one ignorant fool if you two got away with it."

"Um – I suppose," Arnold said. "Were you exiled, too?"

"Exiled?"

"It's when you are not allowed to be a part of the Kingdom anymore. King Scheck banished me and my friend Gerald from the Kingdom of Hillwood."

"For stealing the crown?"

"No, he doesn't like Gerald's family because they have different colored skin than the rest of the people from Hillwood. As for me – well, I don't know why he banished me."

Helga held a peculiar expression on her face at that moment before she began picking up the fruit she had thrown. Suddenly, Arnold's stomach erupted into a fit of gurgles.

"You're hungry," she stated.

"Yeah, I suppose I am."

Helga handed Arnold the bowl of apples before bringing out a chair for Arnold to sit on.

"That's an interesting thing on your head."

"Oh this?" Arnold took the small blue cap from his head. He didn't realize until this moment how worn it had gotten since becoming banished. "My parents gave this to me before they left when I was just a baby."

"Where did they go?"

"My grandparents said they went to another country to help find a cure for the sick, but they never came back. My grandparents fear they might have died of the Black Plague."

Helga nodded in a sort of understanding.

"I want to leave," she said simply. "I wish I could be exiled."

"What do you mean? You're not in Hillwood right now. You can't be exiled by King Scheck if you're not in Hillwood."

"I guess what I mean is I wish I could be banished from this tower. I've never been anywhere else."

Arnold was surprised at such a statement.

"Why not?"

"It's a long story."

"I'd like to hear it," Arnold said. "If you'd let me."

Helga sighed before saying, "Very well. But you must promise not to use me after I'm done."

"I-I wouldn't dream of such a thing," Arnold said, confused.

"Alright then. Listen up, Arnoldo – "

**xXx**

**Yay! Arnold has finally found Helga! To anyone wondering, yes – I have based this a bit on the movie Tangled (*WHICH I ALSO DO NOT OWN). Kudos to anyone who caught on to the similarities! Now, this story is still very much different, so bear with me! Another chapter is soon to come, so stay tuned and as always, don't forget to leave a REVIEW! =D**


End file.
